Hat-press.



P. B. VANDERHOBF.

HAT PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, 1932. 13,059,238, Patented Apr. 15, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

5 mm M01: 717M; 6

COLUMBIA PLANOGIIAPN (20., WASHINGTON, I7. C.

F. B. VANDERHOBF.

HAT PRESS.

APPLICATION IILBD .nmn25,'1912.

1,059,238. Patented Apr.115,1913.

COLUMHM l'LANuuuIn-u 11.. WASHINGTON. l). c.

P. B. VANDERHOEF.

HAT PRESS.

AIPLIOA'I'ION IILED JUNE 25, 1912.

1,059,238; Patented Apr. 15,1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

FRANCIS EBAILE'TVANDERHOEF, OFINEW YORK, N. Y.

HAT-PRESS.

Specification of Letterslatent. 1

Patented Apr. 15, 1913.

Application filed .Tune 25, 1912., Serial No. 705,748.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCTS BATLEY \VAN DERHOEF, citizen of the United States of America, residing at New, York city, in. the

county and State of New .York, have invent edcertain new and useful Improvements in Hat-Presses, of which the "following is 1: specification. p

This invention relates to apress for hats by means of which theihats can be conveniently standardized, 'i. 6., brought to exactly the desired internal, and external dimensions and form with greati precision and uniformity.

In the manufacture of straw hats great: difliculty has been encountered in: bringing the product to the exact internal and external shape and size :desired, so that. the hats may be conveniently standardized, and hats of the samenumber and size given a uniform fittingeffect.

Accordingto one method it has been the custom to form the hats within an external mold or press,.the walls of which are main tained at a suitable temperature to cause the hat to take permanently the form inwhich it is pressed or molded. To support the hat from within a flexible pad, a bag filled with water, has been used. The hat is thus compressed from without against a support which will yield at any point where the straw has a tendencyto swell or bulge toward the innerside ofthe hat. Though it is not impossible to make in this \vaya hat of any given internaldimensions, hats manufactured according to this method are more or less irregular as to theform of the inside surface, and the operative portion of this surface, 2'. 6., that upon which the band rests, has various ridges, humps andprotrudingf portions. For thisreasonzhats of the same size often fail to have the same fittingeifect and must be stretched, padded and reformed to fit the purchaser.

By use of the machineor press which is the subject of my invention, I am able to produce hats having the exact internal form and dimensions desired, and to so mold or pr'ess the internal surface that in the finished hat it is smooth and regular without the undesirable ridges and protrusions to which I have referred.

An important feature of the press is that it determines positively the internal as well as the external dimensions and form of the hat. To this end it comprises a rigid internal former which conforms to the dimen-. sions to which the hat is to be finished, and means for pressing the hat externally so that a high degree of pressure is applied to it radially at all points simultaneously, wherea by it is forced into intimate contact with the internal former throughout its lateral surface. While the machine is in operation,

the former and mold are heated and maintained at. pressing temperature so that the hat is caused to take and retain internal dimensions and shape exactly similar to the dimensions and shape of the former. The external shape and dimensions of the hatare at the same timebrought to exact conformity to the shape of the external mold.

Described in general terms, the machine of my inventionconsists in an externala sec. tional mold, a corresponding internal mold or former, the sections being mounted so that they may be moved to contract or expand the mold, and means forforcing the sections inward to contract the mold and press them toward or against the former.

Preferably the sections of the mold are mounted on a support to move radially ,or laterally; Thcinternal former is mounted on the same support and the mold sections are provided with inclined or wedging surfaces. The device for forcing the sections together and contractingthe mold is preferablyin the form of a member having an inclined portion or surface to engage the corresponding inclined portions or wedging surfaces of the sections, and a support for the same, one support being mounted to move toward and from the other on the line a of the axis of the mold, so that the closing member can be forced against the mold,?

causing it to contract, whereby the inner surfaces of its sections press against the external surface of the former.

. The drawings show a machine constructed in accordance with the preferred form of my invention.

Figure 1 is atop plan of the mold when expanded. Fig, 2 is a bottom plan ofthe Fig 3 1s a top plan of the mold in.

fied form of my .mold in closed position. Fig. 6 is a similar view of the mold when expanded. Fig. 7 is. a bottom view of the same. Fig. 8 is an; elevation of one mold section.

Referring to the drawings, the machine, as shown, consists of an external, annular mol'd 1 made in a plurality of separate, arcuate sections 2, 3, 4tand 5-, mounted to move I external face of the internal arm 28 atthe laterally and contract and expand the mold,

and; having inclined or; wedge surfaces (5, a

support? therefor-preferablyin the form. of a steam-table havinga. Steam-chamber-B, an internal former 9r resting: on the table within the. mold, an external wedge. or closing memben 10, preferably with a. heating-ring as, 11 encircling the same, a support 125 for the. closing-member" or: external wedge, the

table. 7' behig' mounted on guides. 13: so that it-mayabe moved toward and fro-m the; closing-member 10 on the line. of the axis of themold, the guides being parallelto; said 31.21 5

Thearcuate, sections 2,. 3,. 4s and 5. of which the moldfis, formed, are placedi end to. end,

. the. end; faces: of the. sections, as shown, he-

ingkplane. surfaces, and the end faces Hand.

15 of each section beingnpreferably at rightv angles, one. to. the other, thoughthey may be otherwise. placed... The. mold sections. are. free-tube moved toward and from each other, whereby the mold isv contracted and expanded Preferably: each member'Q, 31,. 4a

and. 52- is of Lr-shaped cross: section, the base of-the: L. being a flat. arcuate plate '18,; and the upright portion or arm. 16. being; on they inner edge of the plate. and on the-.inner periphery: of the. assembled annulus. This upright. 16; has. its inner surface 17 substantially; vertical, i. e., at about. right an-glesvto the plate and substantially el'lipticalin plan, or'of any outline to conformto the shape of theehead; This, surface 17' is the moldsun face knownhere as. theexternat mold] surface. The outer surfaces 6 ofnthe. upright 2, 3', 4:: 5 in which the mold is formed, each ring section being .securedto the cor-I responding sectioncf the annular{ mold. Thesesections are placed end torend'; and cut away at each extremity alongthe innerci;r-

cumference at 25. at one end, and alongnthe outer circumf rence at. 26. at t e; ctherend, thearouate section in each case being: re

duced" to. about one half of its. full width, forming overlapping; or intertocking. inte e externalcireun ferential a eachendrofeach sect-ion, thearna 27. "atone nd; c nf r i g as. o. i s: externala e t theiexternal circumference of the ring, and

nternal rcumference of. the ring. I

The internal face of the external arm 27 one end of each section is formed with surfaces in two, preferably vertical, planes.

at an obtuse angle one to the other. The

other end of the samesection islikewise formed with surfaces in two vertical planes.

.These surfaces are indicated by reference characters 29 and 30, andfthey -are-placed These surfaces are indicatedby reference characters 31 and 3-2, and are;- at. an obtuse angle one to. the other. The plane surface '29 onthe external arm: 27' isshown'asat,

ping the. internal arm 28} of the next and the remote plane surface 29. on the external arm of one. section contacting with thenearer plane surface 31 on the cooperatingqarmof the adjacent section, sothatfithe. plane sur.-

faces slide one. on the other. These surfaces act as guides to the mold sections. in closinga-ncl opening... When. the segments; or sec tions of the mold approach theircl'osed p.0

sitions, the remote'plane,surfaceBZ of the internal arm 28 engages the nearer plane surface 30 0t theexternal; arm 27.." Irr this; way the mold sections; are.accurately posi tions, when the. mold is closed, position the parts as do the. end surfaces ofthe inter,-v

tioned. {The ends. .ltandla'of the; mold sec:

locking arms andthe.correspondingsurfaces 36-of the ring sections. I

t ll be no ed hatthe. tip, ends 83; r, he ternal arms, n they have been withdrawn to a predetermineClext-ent, come. in" contact, with the outer surfaces. 6 of! the up ight portions; 16 'ofth'emas, d, th ex: tent to. which they can be withdrawn is: thus limited; It, will also be. noted that: the interloclring farms 2,7.and 28 of each. mold section, overlie the adjacent moldsection. Thus the, sections in their preferred form are so, 0 27 nected that;they cannot be; separated. "one from the other either by withdIa-wingfthem; Y

circumferentially; oninthe direction of the axis of the mold, but they be, moved;-

radiallyt and simultaneously or otherwise; to contract and expand themoldf.

In the operation of my invention" the hat; I

to be pressed :is placed cn the. table] inclo-siing the internalfmoldf or former--59. "The ex ternal mold is expanded slightlyrbeyond the, I

outside dimension'of. thehat: placed} over the hat, its bottom surface; resting onte of; the hat brim. The support 7 then moved ice up in the direction of the axis of the mold so that the mold approaches the closing member 10 or the closing member and molds are otherwise. moved relatively to bring the inclined surface 37 into engagement with the inclined surfaces 6 of the mold. The external mold is thus contracted and. the mold sections brought together, and thus the mold surfaces are forced inward against the hat, pressing it throughout its periphery into close contact with the internal former 9. The molds are, when applied to the hat, at the desired pressing :temperature and are conveniently maintained at this temperature by means of any suitable heating fluid in the chamber 8 and the ring 11. Both the internal and the external surfaces of the hat thus take the exact form of the corresponding surfaces of the mold, and all? projections, ridges and protuberances on the hat, both on its internal or external surface, are flattened and pressed out, formingthe hatwith a smooth, flat and regular internal. and external surface. Thushats treated as described by means of my improved press can tions, 41, 42, 43, and 44 corresponding and similar to the sections 2, 3,4 and 5 of the mold first described. These sections together form 1 an annulus and their end; surfaces 45 are at rightangles as previously described. The

annulus is also of L,-shaped cross-section, the

upright portion of the L having aninclined or. wedging surface 46 corresponding to the wedge surface Gof Fig.4. Overlying 'the flat plate 47 whichformsthe base of the L-shaped cross-section, a guide ring formed of arcuate sections 48, the sections of the ring corresponding to the sectlons of the mold. The guide ringsections 48 are placed each on the correspondingmold section, each ring section extendingbeyond its mold section at one end 51 and falling short of the end of the section at the other end 52,.

so that the end 51 of the guide ring section 48 overlaps the adjacent end. of the .neigh-: boring mold section. Each end; 51 is slotted at 53, the slot and the end of the guide ring section both being parallel to the adjacent end surface 45 of the mold section. The end surfaces 51 and 52 of the guide ring sections abut and are parallel to each% other,

both surfaces, as heretofore described, being. parallel to the adjacent end surfaces 45 of means of bolts 49 which pass through the cover ring, guide ring and the moldsection, and bypins 56 which engage the slots 53 and pass through all three sections as well as by other pins or screws 50. It will be apparent that. the sections thus interlocked and.

tweenthem a corresponr ing dog 60 on the wedge support 12, and serve to guideiand position the mold surfaces as they are brought into contact withthe closing wedge. It will beapparent that the mold which II have just described may be placed on the table 7 and operated inconnection with the closing wedge or looking ring 10 as heretofore set forth.

I have thus described specifically two forms of my invention in order that its nature, function and operation maybe clearly understood; however, the specific terms 1 herein are used in their descriptiverather than inztheir limiting sense, and the scope of the invention is defined in the claims:

I claim I I 1. An annular moldmade insecti'ons, the 1 ends of the sections being substantially .at right angles, a support for the mold upon which the sections are mounted to move. laterallyto contract and expand the mold, theend surfaces serving as stops or positioning means when the mold is closed, a; guide ring. made in sections, each section. secured to a section of the mold, thesectionshaving interlocking arms with contacting surfaces to guide the mold sections to confinethe motion of the parts inclos ing to a radial path.

2. In a hat press an internal former, a sectional ring mold, the sections being movably mounted to contract and expand the moldand placed end to end each SBCtlOIli havingat each end a guiding arm, the arms 1 having, contacting guide surfaces to guide the sections as they move.

3. In a hat press, an internal former, a sectional. ring mold, the sections being 1 placed end to end, movably mounted to contract and expand the mold and havinginterlocking guiding arms, the arms having contacting guide surfaces extending in the direction of a tangent to the ring and adapt: ed to guide the sections in a radial pathand means for closing the mold.

4. In a hat press, an internal former, a sectional. mold, the sections being movably mounted to contract and expand the mold, and placed end to end and having interlocking guiding arms, the arms having con-;

tacting guide surfaces to guidethe sections in a radial path as they move, and positioning-surfaces to locate the sections Whenthemold is 1 closed, the mold. sections; having inclined wed'ging surfaces, a closing member having a cooperating Wedging surface, a support for the mold and former, a support for the closing member, a guide extending in the direction of the axis of the mold, one slippontbeing movably mounted to travel-on the. guide. I

5 Ahatpress, an internalv former, a sec tional, mold inclosing the former, the sections beingmo-vably. mounted to contract and expand the mold, and placed endtoend, the, end surfaces contacting and acting: as.

, positioning surfaces, interlocking, arms on sectionalmold consisting of segments placed end'to end and having interlocking arms, one, atxeach; end of each segment, each arm overlying, the: ad acent'. section and overlapping; the; neighboring, arm, the arms having; 7 contacting guid ng surfaces extending in the direction of a tangent. to the ringv at thepo-int "at which they occur, and means for limiting the motion of-each section r ela-' tive to the, next'section and preventingthe sections: from being completely, disengaged from each other," and means, for forcingv the mold sections; inward against the'formerg 7;. Ina hat press,,:aninternal. former and, a moldring consisting-of sections and means i in the form of overlapping arms connecting With thesections, limiting their relative motion and acting as guidingrmeans fon 'eachf section, and means 'for contracting and expanding the mold 7 ring;

8; A, hat press consitinga rigid in ternal former combination with aeflexible external "former, the external former being sections l'ly divided" andprovided 'With: means: to secure their cooperative movement. in the same plane with means, to; simnly taneously move the external former sections;

radially toward the internal former.

A that press consisting of a rigid in; ternal former in combinationj,-with allexiw ble external former, the external former being sectionally divided and provided with;

means 7 to. secure their cooperative movement in the same plane wlth means consistingof oppositely disposed beveled surfaces to slmultaneously move the external former sections radially; toward the internal former. Signed by me at "New York city, county andStateof New York, thisSth dayof I May,'1912;

v a FRANCISfBAlLEY VANDERHoEFI- Witnesses: 1

vGrins. EDWARDS} .7 Fnonnnon ATEN lv-Es;

(spies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner. of- Patents,

' Washington, D. (3. i i 

